Protective bumper railing

Abstract

A unitary protective bumper rail for protecting a substrate comprises a resilient, longitudinally-extending mounting member having a substantially planar mounting surface for flush attachment to the substrate, a resilient, longitudinally-extending protective strip, and a hinged connector attached to the mounting member and protective strip along the adjacent longitudinally-extending sides thereof. The connector permits pivotal movement of the protective strip relative to the mounting member between a first position in which the protective strip overlies the mounting strip and a second position in which the protective strip is pivoted from said mounting member. The mounting member includes a latch mounted along the longitudinally-extending side thereof opposite the side thereof that is hingedly connected to said protective strip, and the protective strip includes a connector mounted along the longitudinally-extending the thereof opposite the side thereof that is hingedly connected to the mounting member. The latch and connector are arranged to engage each other when the protective strip and the mounting member are in the first position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A unitary protective bumper rail for protecting a substrate, said rail comprising: a longitudinally-extending mounting strip having a substantially planar mounting surface for flush attachment to said substrate;   a resilient longitudinally-extending protective strip; and   a hinged connector attached to said mounting strip and said protective strip along a pair of adjacent longitudinally-extending sides thereof for permitting pivotal movement of said protective strip relative to said mounting strip between a first position in which said protective strip overlies said mounting strip and a second position in which said protective strip is pivoted away from said mounting strip;   said mounting strip including (a) a longitudinally-extending support rib projecting inwardly from an inner surface thereof towards an inner surface of said protective strip, said support rib being arranged to be at least closely adjacent said protective strip when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position, and   (b) a latch extending along the longitudinally-extending side thereof opposite the side thereof that is attached to said hinged connector;     said protective strip including (a) a longitudinally-extending support rib projecting inwardly from an inner surface thereof towards an inner surface of said mounting strip, and   (b) a connector extending along the longitudinally-extending side thereof opposite the side thereof that is attached to said hinged connector,     said latch and said connector being arranged to engage each other when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position.   
     
     
       2. The protective bumper rail of claim 1 wherein said latch is a resilient hook, the open portion of said hook facing said substrate to be protected when said bumper rail is affixed to said substrate. 
     
     
       3. The protective bumper rail of claim 1 wherein said connector comprises: a resilient hook at one side thereof; and   a resilient sealing rib at the other side thereof arranged to resiliently engage the substrate to which the protective bumper rail is affixed when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position and said rail is mounted on said substrate.   
     
     
       4. The protective bumper rail of claim 3 wherein the resilient hook is positioned to lockedly engage the oppositely disposed latch of the mounting strip when said protective strip and said mounting strip are in said first position. 
     
     
       5. The protective bumper rail of claim 1 wherein the mounting strip further comprises a longitudinally-extending insert positioned on the interior of said mounting surface, the material of said insert having a greater impact resistance than the material of said mounting surface. 
     
     
       6. The protective bumper rail of claim 5 wherein said insert is coextruded. 
     
     
       7. The protective bumper rail of claim 1 wherein said mounting strip is formed of a rigid PVC organic plastic material. 
     
     
       8. The protective bumper rail of claim 1 wherein said mounting strip is relatively more resistant to stretching and shrinkage than is said protective strip, and wherein the mounting strip and protective strip have a unitary construction. 
     
     
       9. The protective bumper rail of claim 8, further comprising an insert against an inner surface of said mounting strip, said mounting strip further comprising a pair of oppositely disposed, inwardly extending retaining members, each positioned to hold the insert in place prior to the bumper rail being affixed to the substrate to be protected. 
     
     
       10. The protective bumper rail of claim 1, the mounting strip further including a resilient sealing rib extending along the longitudinally-extending side thereof that is hingedly connected to said protective strip, said sealing rib projecting rearwardly of a central portion of said mounting strip such that said sealing rib will resiliently engage a substrate to which said mounting strip is attached. 
     
     
       11. A unitary protective bumper rail for protecting a substrate, said rail comprising: a longitudinally-extending mounting member having: a first portion with a mounting surface for flush attachment to said substrate, and   a longitudinally-extending insert against a surface of said first portion facing away from said substrate, said insert being made of a material having a greater impact resistance than the material of said mounting surface;     a resilient, longitudinally-extending protective strip; and   a hinged connector attached to said mounting member and said protective strip along a pair of adjacent longitudinally-extending sides thereof for permitting pivotal movement of said protective strip relative to said mounting member between a first position in which said protective strip overlies said mounting member, and a second position in which said protective strip is pivoted away from said mounting member, one of said mounting member and said protective strip including a latch mounted along the longitudinally-extending side thereof opposite the side thereof that is hingedly connected to the other of said protective strip and said mounting member, and   the other of said protective strip and mounted member including a connector mounted along the longitudinally-extending side thereof opposite the side thereof that is hingedly connected to the other of said mounting member and protective strip,   said latch and said connector being arranged to engage each other when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position in which the protective strip and mounting member define a space therebetween, the insert having one surface in contact with the first portion and another surface facing the protective strip across the space,   the protective strip including a resilient sealing rib extending along a longitudinally-extending side of said rail near said hinged connector, said rib contacting said mounting member when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position.     
     
     
       12. A unitary protective bumper rail for protecting a substrate, said rail comprising: a longitudinally-extending mounting strip having a substantially planar mounting surface for flush attachment to said substrate;   a resilient longitudinally-extending protective strip; and   a hinged connector attached to said mounting strip and said protective strip along a pair of adjacent longitudinally-extending sides thereof for permitting pivotal movement of said protective strip relative to said mounting strip between a first position in which said strip overlies said mounting strip and a second position in which said strip is pivoted from said mounting strip, the hinge being provided at a location such that the portion of the hinge that pivots is against the substrate when the mounting member is mounted to the substrate and so that the hinge allows 180° of motion by the protective strip relative to the mounting member;   at least one of said mounting strip and said protective strip including a longitudinally-extending support rib projecting inwardly from an inner surface thereof and being arranged to be closely adjacent an inner surface of the other of said protective strip and said mounting strip when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position, and   at least one of said mounting strip and said protective strip including a resilient sealing rib extending along a longitudinally-extending edge of said railing such that said sealing rib projects rearwardly of a central portion of said mounting strip when said protective strip and said mounting member are in said first position.   
     
     
       13. The protective bumper rail of claim 12 the protective strip including a plurality of said support ribs. 
     
     
       14. The protective bumper rail of claim 12 wherein each of said mounting strip and said protective strip includes a respective one of said sealing ribs, one of said ribs extending along each of the longitudinal edges of said rail. 
     
     
       15. The protective bumper rail of claim 12 wherein the mounting strip further comprises a longitudinally-extending insert positioned on the interior of said mounting surface, the material of said insert having a greater impact resistance than the material of said mounting surface. 
     
     
       16. The protective bumper rail of claim 12, wherein the mounting strip and the protective strip are coextruded such that the mounting strip is made from a relatively rigid material and the protective strip is made from a relatively flexible material. 
     
     
       17. A protective bumper rail for protecting a substrate, the rail comprising: a longitudinally-extending mounting strip having a mounting surface for flush attachment to the substrate;   a resilient longitudinally-extending protective strip; and   a hinged connector attached to the mounting strip and to the protective strip along adjacent longitudinally-extending sides thereof for permitting pivotal movement of the protective strip relative to the mounting strip from a first position in which the protective strip covers the mounting strip and a second position in which the protective strip is pivoted away from the mounting strip;   the mounting strip including a longitudinally-extending support rib projecting inwardly from an inner surface thereof towards an inner surface of the protective strip such that the support rib is at least closely adjacent the protective strip when the protective strip and the mounting member are in the first position;   the protective strip including a longitudinally-extending support rib projecting inwardly from an inner surface thereof towards an inner surface of the mounting strip.   
     
     
       18. The protective bumper rail of claim 17, wherein the rail is coextruded so that the mounting strip and the protective strip are made of different material and the mounting strip being made of a material that is relatively more resistant to stretching and shrinkage than is the protective strip. 
     
     
       19. The protective bumper rail of claim 17, further comprising an insert against an inner surface of the mounting strip, the insert being made of a material with greater impact resistance than the material of the mounting strip. 
     
     
       20. A protective bumper rail for protecting a substrate, the rail comprising: a longitudinally-extending mounting strip having a substantially planar mounting surface for flush attachment to the substrate;   a longitudinally-extending protective strip; and   a hinged connector attached to the mounting strip and the protective strip along a pair of adjacent longitudinally-extending sides thereof for permitting pivotal movement of the protective strip relative to the mounting strip between a first position in which said strip overlies said mounting strip and a second position in which said strip is pivoted from said mounting strip;   one of the mounting strip and the protective strip having a longitudinally-extending sealing rib arranged such that the sealing rib contacts of the other of the protective strip and the mounting strip when the protective strip and the mounting strip are in the first position, and the mounting strip and protective strip each including a support rib extending toward the other of the mounting strip and the protective strip when the protective strip and mounting strip are in the first position.   
     
     
       21. The protective bumper rail of claim 20, wherein the longitudinally-extending mounting strip and the longitudinally-extending protective strip are coextruded to form a unitary rail with the mounting strip being made of a relatively rigid material and the protective strip being made of a relatively flexible material. 
     
     
       22. The rail of claim 20, wherein the hinged connector is mounted and designed to allow 180° of motion by the protective strip relative to the mounting member.